CONNELL, William Anderson
| Service Numbers: | 295, 182 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 30 January 1884 |
| Home Town: | Derby, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Grammar School, Launceston and Launceston High School, Tasmania, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk & Miner |
| Died: | Died of wounds, , Belgium, 28 December 1917, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium Plot II, Row H, Grave No. 6 |
| Memorials: | Launceston Cenotaph, Launceston Church Grammar School WW1 Honour Board, Lindisfarne Officers of the 12th Battalion Pictorial Honour Roll |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 295, 8th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
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World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 182 | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 1914: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Sergeant, 182, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Hobart | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Sergeant, 182, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 8 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 15 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Jul 1915: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, 'On 25th April, 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe, for gallantly attacking an entrenched position and an enemy's machine gun.' Source: 'London Gazette' No. 6542 | |
| 4 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 8 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Sep 1915: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, ANZAC / Gallipoli, 'On 25th April, 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe, for gallantly attacking an entrenched position and an enemy's machine gun.' | |
| 28 Oct 1915: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, ANZAC / Gallipoli, For actions on 25/4/1915 | |
| 28 Dec 1917: | Involvement Captain, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 12th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1917-12-28 |
Boer War Service
| Date unknown: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, 295, 8th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
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Help us honour William Anderson Connell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
William Anderson CONNELL was born on 30th January, 1884 in Launceston, Tasmania - he was the son of James CONNELL and Harriet BROWN
Served in South African War - 8th Australian Commonwealth Horse (Tas) Service no. 295
When peace was declared on 31st May, 1902 several of the battalions including the 8th were still at sea
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Distinguished Conduct Medal
'On 25th April, 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe, for gallantly attacking an entrenched position and an enemy's machine gun.'
Source: 'London Gazette' No. 6542
Date: 3 July 1915
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
‘Sergeant Connell of the 12th Battalion commanded a section which had been sandwiched into the line of the 10th, and of which he had been placed in charge during the orderly reorganisation upon the plateau. The order was passed from Major Hurcombe of the 10th that this part of the line was to advance in small parties, about twenty at a time. Connell took this for a command to advance against the Third ridge. As he led his party across Johnston’s Jolly, Turks jumped up from the scrub ahead of them and bolted. They had probably been lying there all the morning, and a few seem to have lain there still, occasionally sniping when a good target offered. Connell led his party half-southwards into Owen’s Gully, but other sections of Australians could be seen who continued to advance eastwards on the summit of Johnston’s Jolly. Ahead of these, where the shoulder of the Jolly sloped into Owen’s Gully, Connell noticed a short trench containing a party of Turks and a machine gun. The enemy were intent upon the Australians on the Jolly, who had seen them and were making towards them. Connell’s party at once turned up the slope and raced for the gun. As they neared it the Turks caught sight of them, fired a few hurried shots, shouldered the gun, and disappeared into the scrub.
Connell intended to occupy this trench with his party. But no sooner had he reached it, than a Turkish battery opened upon him with shrapnel. He therefore took his men down into Owen’s Gully, and, after wandering in the thick scrub towards its mouth, moved into a deserted Turkish trench which led up onto Lone Pine, near the inland end of the 400 Plateau. There for a time his party stayed.’
Extract from CEW Bean History of WW1, Volume 1 Anzac, page 375, 'The 2nd Brigade on 400 Plateau'
Biography contributed by Adrian Jones
Son of James and H M CONNELL
Served in South African War
Distinguished Conduct Medal
'On 25th April, 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe, for gallantly attacking an entrenched position and an enemy's machine gun.'
Source: 'London Gazette' No. 6542
Date: 3 July 1915
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